At the annual Catholic Media Convention in late June, the Catholic Press Association presented its awards to books judged superior in various categories. This week, The Tidings presents those books which earned first, second and third place honors, with publishers listed in parentheses.

Popular Presentation of the Catholic Faith

First Place: “Go to Joseph,” Br. Michael O'Neill McGrath, OSFS, Br. Michael Leach and Christine Krystofczyk (World Library Publications).

Second Place: “When Faith Feels Fragile,” R. Scott Hurd (Pauline Books and Media).

Third Place (tie): “The Thorny Grace of It,” Brian Doyle (Loyola Press); “Faith meets World,” Barry Hudock (Liguori Publications).

Spirituality: Soft Cover

First: “Atchison Blue,” Judith Valente, Ave Maria Press).

Second: “The Art of Pausing,” Judith Valente, Br. Paul Quenon, OCSO and Michael Bever (ACTA Publications).

Third: “Spiritual Letters,” Sr. Wendy Beckett (Orbis Books).

Spirituality: Hard Cover

First: “Meditations on Vatican Art,” Mark Haydu (Liguori).

Second: “Go to Joseph,” Brother Michael O'Neill McGrath, OSFS, Michael Leach and Christine Krzystofczyk (World Library).

Third: “The Way of the Cross: The Path to New Life,” Joan Chittister and Janet McKenzie (Orbis).

Honorable Mention: “Julian's Gospel: Illuminating the Life & Revelations of Julian of Norwich,” Veronica Mary Rolf (Orbis).

Theology

First: “Icons of Hope: The "Last Things" in Catholic Imagination,” John E. Thiel (University of Notre Dame Press).

Second: “The Catholicity of Reason,” D.C. Schinder (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing).

Third: “Moral Evil,” Andrew Michael Flescher (Georgetown University Press).

Scripture: Popular Studies

First: “Encountering Jesus in the Scriptures,” Daniel J. Harrington and Christopher R. Matthews (Paulist Press).

Second: “Mark and Empire: Feminist Reflections,” Laurel K. Cobb (Orbis).

Third: “Saint Paul and the New Evangelization,” Ronald D. Witherup (Liturgical Press).

Scripture: Academic Studies

First: “The Bible in Medieval Tradition: The Letter to the Romans,” Ian Christopher Levy, Philip D.W. Krey and Thomas Ryan (Wm. B. Eerdmans).

Second: “Word and Image: The Hermeneutics of the Saint John's Bible,” Michael Patella, OSB (Liturgical Press).

Third: “David Remembered: Kingship and National identity in Ancient Israel,” Joseph Blenkinsopp (Wm. B. Eerdmans).

Honorable Mention: “Jeremiah and God's Plans of Well-Being,” Barbara Green (University of South Carolina Press).

Liturgy

First: “Saint Margaret Mary Sunday Missal,” Michael E. Novak and Denise C. Durand (World Library).

Second: “What We Have Done and What We have Failed to Do: Assessing the Liturgical Reforms of Vatican II by Msgr. Kevin W. Irwin (Paulist Press).

Third: “The Passions of Holy Week by Charles Rohrbacher (Liturgical Press).

Pastoral Ministry

First: “Rebuilt,” Michael White and Tom Corcoran (Ave Maria Press).

Second: “Notes from the Underground: The Spiritual Journey of a Secular Priest,” Donald Cozzens (Orbis).

Third: “Discovering Trinity in Disability,” Myroslaw Tataryn and Maria Truchan-Tataryn (Orbis).

Professional Books

First: “Navigating Pastoral Transitions,” Graziano Marcheschi, Marti Jewell and Barbara Kerkhoff (Liturgical Press).

Second: “The Art of Leadership,” Notker Wolf and Enrica Rosanna (Liturgical Press).

Third: “Redeeming Administration,” Ann M. Garrido (Ave Maria Press).

Design and Production

First: “Meditations on Vatican Art,” Mark Haydu, LC, STL (Liguori).

Second: “The Sistine Chapel: A Biblical Tour,” Christine M. Panyard, PhD (Paulist Press).

Third: “Go To Joseph,” Brother Michael O'Neil McGrath, OSFS, Christine Krystofezyk and Christine Enault (World Library).

Honorable Mention: “Rebuilt: The Story of a Catholic Parish,” Michael White and Tom Corcoran (Ave Maria Press).

Children's Books

First: “Shepherds to the Rescue: Gospel Time Trekkers #1,” Maria Grace Dateno, FSP (Pauline Books and Media).

Second: “The Prayer of St. Francis,” St. Francis of Assisi, Illustrated by Guiliano Ferri (Paulist Press).

Third: “Francis of Assisi: Keeper of Creation,” Barbara Yoffie and Katherine A. Borgatti (Liguori).

Honorable Mention: “Saint Theodora and her Promise to God,” Mary Doyle (Sisters of Providence).

Teen & Young Adult

First: “Prayers, Papers and Play: Devotions for Every College Student,” Barbara Canale (Liguori).

Second: “a.k.a. genius,” Marilee Haynes (Pauline Books and Media).

Third: “The Gate,” Nancy Carabio Belanger (Harvey House Publishing).

Honorable Mention: “Your College Faith ... Own It,” Matt Swaim and Colleen Swaim (Liguori).

First Time Author of a Book

First: “Julian's Gospel,” Veronica Mary Rolf (Orbis).

Second: “Meditations on Vatican Art,” Mark Haydu, LC, STL (Liguori).

Third Place: “A Martyr's Crown,” Joyce Coronel (The Catholic Sun).

Honorable Mention: “Act of Recovery,” Michael D. Hoffman (ACTA).

Family Life

First: “When Parents Divorce or Separate,” Lynn Cassella-Kapusinski (Pauline Books and Media).

Second: “Blessed By Less,” Susan V. Vogt (Loyola Press).

Third: “Catholic Mom's Café,” Donna-Marie Cooper O'Boyle (Our Sunday Visitor Press).

Honorable Mention: “It Is Well: Life in the Storm,” Chris Faddis (Solace Books).

History

First: “Called to Serve: A History of Nuns in America,” Margaret M. McGuinnes (New York University Press).

Second: “Thomas Aquinas and Karl Barth: An Unofficial Catholic-Protestant Dialogue,” Bruce L. McCormack and Thomas Joseph White, OP (Wm. B. Eerdmans).

Third: “Catholic Progressives in England After Vatican II,” Jay P. Corrin, University of Notre Dame Press).

Biography

First: “Drawn from Shadows into Truth: A Memoir,” Fr. Ray Ryland (Emmaus Road Publishing).

Second: “Divided Friends: Portraits of the Roman Catholic Modernist Crisis in the United States,” William L. Portier (Catholic University Press).

Third: “A Worldwide Heart: The Life of MaryknollFather John J. Considine,” Robert Hurteau (Orbis).

Honorable Mentions: “Anthony deMello: The Happy Wanderer,” Bill deMello (Orbis); “The Life of Walter F. Sullivan,” Phyllis Theroux (Orbis).

Gender Issues

First: “Religious Life at the Crossroads,” Amy Hereford, CSJ (Orbis).

Second: “Conscience and Calling: Ethical Reflections on Catholic Women's Church Vocations,” Anne Patrick (Bloomsbury Publishing).

Third: “Blessed, Beautiful, and Bodacious,” Pat Gohn (Ave Maria Press).

Reference Books

First: “Encyclopedia of U.S. Catholic History,” Matthew Bunson and Margaret Bunson (Our Sunday Visitor Press).

Second: “Handbook of Roman Catholic Moral Terms,” James T. Bretzke, SJ (Georgetown University Press).

Third: “Mysticism and the Spiritual Quest: A Crosscultural Anthology,” Phyllis Zagano (Paulist Press).

Honorable Mention: “Faith Basics: Pocket Catholic Dictionary,” Leon J. Suprenant, Jr. (Emmaus Road).

Best Book by a Small Publisher

First: “Raising Gentle Men: Lives at the Orphanage Edge,” Jay Sullivan and Kevin Atticks (Apprentice House).

Second: “The Ascent of Mount Carmel,” St. John of the Cross: Reflections by Marc Foley, OCD (ICS Publications).

Third: “Naked and You Clothed Me,” Jim Knipper, editor; featuring Rob Bell, James Martin, SJ, Jan Richardson, Richard Rohr, OFM and Mickey McGrath, OSFS (Clear Faith Publishing).

Honorable Mention: “Young in the Spirit,” Mary Doyle (3E Press, Geneva, IL

Catholic Social Teaching

First: “Christianity and the Political Order,” Kenneth R. Himes (Orbis).

Second: “Preferential Option for the Poor Beyond Theology,” Daniel G. Groody and Gustavo Gutiérrez, editors (University of Notre Dame Press).

Third: “Hope Sings, So Beautiful,” Christopher Pramuk (Liturgical Press).

Honorable Mention: “The Development of Moral Theology,” Charles E. Curran (Georgetown University Press).

Faith & Science

First: “Prophets of the Posthuman: American Fiction, Biotechnology, and the Ethics of Personhood,” Christina Beiber Lake (University of Notre Dame Press).

Second: “A Defense of Dignity: Creating Life, Destroying Life, and Protecting the Rights of Conscience,” Christopher Kaczor (University of Notre Dame Press).

Third: “The Unbearable Wholeness of Being: God, Evolution, and the Power of Love,” Ilia Delio (Orbis).

Honorable Mention: “God in the Midst of Change: Wisdom for Confusing Times,” Diarmuid O'Murchu (Orbis).

50th Anniversary of Vatican II

First: “Visions of Hope,” Kevin J. Ahern, editor (Orbis).

Second: “A Council That Will Never End: Lumen Gentium and the Church Today,” Paul Lakeland (Liturgical Press).

Third: “Do Not Quench the Spirit! Celebrating Fifty Years of Vatican II/ ¬°No apagues el espíritu!: Celebrando cincuenta a√±os del Concilio Vaticano II,” Deacon William T. Ditewig, Edward Foley, Capuchin, Chris Ángel and Karla Bellinger (World Library).

The Year of Faith

First: “Believing,” Eugene Kennedy (Orbis).

Second: “Giving Up God ... to Find God: Breaking Free of Idolatry,” Kerry Walters (Orbis).

Third: “Pope Francis: Open Mind, Faithful Heart: Reflections on Following Jesus,” Pope Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Crossroad Publishing).

Honorable Mention: “How to Share Your Faith with Anyone,” Terry Barber (Ignatius Press).

Faithful Citizenship

First: “Where Justice and Mercy Meet: Catholic Opposition to the Death Penaltym,” Vicki Schieber, Trudy Conway and David Matzko McCarthy, editors (Liturgical Press).

Second: “Citizens of the World: Suffering and Solidarity in the 21st Century,” Donald H. Dunson and James A Dunson III (Orbis).

Third: “The Ethics of Interrogation: Professional Responsibility in an Age of Terror,” Paul Lauritzen (Georgetown University Press).

Papal Transition

First: “A Call to Serve: Pope Francis and the Catholic Future,” Stefan von Kempis and Phillip Lawler (Crossroad).

Second: “Francis, A New World Pope,” Michel Cool (Wm. B. Eerdmans).

Immigration

First: “On "Strangers No Longer": Perspectives on the Historic U.S.-Mexican Catholic Bishops' Pastoral Letter on Migration,” Todd Scribner and J. Kevin Appleby, editors (Paulist Press).

Second: “Immigration and the Next America,” Archbishop José H. Gomez (Our Sunday Visitor Press).

Third: “The Migrant's Way of the Cross,” Fr. Simon C. Kim (Liguori).

Coffee Table Book

First: “Spendors of the Creed,” Fr. Joseph T. Leinhard, SJ and Fr. Frederic Curnier-Laroche (Magnificat).

Second: “History of the Diocese of Knoxville,” Dan McWilliams (The East Tennessee Catholic).

Third: “Purposeful Design: Understanding Creation,” Jay Schabacker (self-published).

Novel

First: “The Gate,” Nancy Carabio Belanger (Harvey House).

Second: “Rapunzel Let Down: A Fairy Tale Retold,” Regina Doman (Chesterton Press).

Third: “Song of the Dove,” Kay Murdy (ACTA).

Honorable Mention: “Miram: Repentance and Redemption in Rome,” Cheryl Dickow (Bezalel Books).

THE PUBLISHERS

ACTA Publications, Chicago, IL

Apprentice House, Baltimore, MD

Ave Maria Press, Notre Dame, I

Bezalel Books, Waterford, MI

Bloomsbury Publishing, London, UK

Catholic University Press, Washington, DC

Chesterton Press, Front Royal, VA

Clear Faith Publishing, Princeton, NJ

Crossroad Publishing Company, New York, NY

Emmaus Road Publishing, Steubenville, OH

Georgetown University Press, Washington, DC

Harvey House Publishing, Rochester, MI

ICS Publications, Washington, DC

Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA

Liguori Publications, Liguori, MO

Liturgical Press, Collegeville, M

Loyola Press, Chicago, IL

Magnificat, Yonkers, NY

New York University Press, New York, NY

Orbis Books, Maryknoll, NY

Our Sunday Visitor Press, Huntington, I

Pauline Books & Media, Boston, MA

Paulist Press, Mahwah, NJ

Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ

Sisters of Providence, St. Mary-of-the-Woods, I

The Catholic Sun, Phoenix, AZ

The East Tennessee Catholic, Knoxville, T

3E Press, Geneva, IL

University of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, I

University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, SC

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI

World Library Publications, Franklin Park, IL